TAKE ACTION NOW ...

This month, Congress will vote to pass the FY 2013 Agriculture
Appropriations Bill. Section 733 of the bill, ironically dubbed the “Farmers
Assurance Provision,” has sparked widespread outcry and concern from the organic
farming community for its ability to render the public and government virtually
powerless in any attempts to stop GMO crop cultivation.

The “Farmer Assurance Provision”–more aptly described by Food
Democracy Now as the “Monsanto Protection Act”– would strip the authority of
federal courts to halt the sale and planting of illegal, potentially hazardous
genetically engineered crops while the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
assesses potential hazards.

The bill gives biotech companies free rein to plant, harvest and sell GMO
crops before they are even deemed safe by the USDA. Worse, if any GMO crops are
found harmful by a court of law, the USDA is forced to allow continued planting
of the proven dangerous crops. The provision goes even further and bans the
court from suggesting that the USDA take action against any agricultural
policies that may be harmful to the environment or farmers.

“This provision has nothing to do with farmers, and everything to do
with the biotech industry’s sales,” said Dena Hoff, vice president of
the National Family Farm Coalition. “Far from safeguarding farmers, it evades
the law of the land and endangers their way of life and their livelihoods. The
only parties whose interests would be assured are the corporations developing
biotech crops.”

Dozens of organizations including the ACLU, Sierra Club, Center For Food
Safety, Earthjustice, National Organic Coalition, Organic Consumers Association,
Organic Valley Family Farms, and many more have come together to fight for the
removal of the “Farmers Assurance Provision” from the bill. Together they have
signed a letter to Committee chair Harold Rogers (R-KY) and the Committee’s
ranking member Norm Dicks (D-WA) requesting the removal of this provision which
you can read here: US House of Representatives Should Strike the Deceptive “Farmer
Assurance Provision”

Why is this issue of such concern to us? It is vital that the
rights of organic farmers is protected and their crops are in turn protected
from cross contamination and “superweeds” created by GMOs, chemical pesticides
and monocropping.

If you would like to join those speaking out against this dangerous
provision buried deep in the 2013 Farm Bill you can email your congress member
at the link below: Act fast! Congress is set to vote on this issue on July
23.Let's make this work!

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HumVeganity events are open to folks of all persuasions - omnivores, vegetarians and vegans. Some say HUMANity, we say VEGANity. What's the difference? Veganity is the vegan way of being human. It's not for all creatures - and perhaps not for all humans. But for those who embrace its delicious healthful bounty – through a variety of reasons including, health, morality, spirituality, environmental impact, animal welfare and animal rights – there are limitless benefits.
Join us for delicious dinners, lunches and brunches, recipes, hikes, bike rides, sailing on the bay, and other activities. All with vegans, vegetarians, raw foodies and any folks interested in learning more about living and eating on the food chain closest to the sun. Want to post your vegan-related event here? The more the better - let's share the ideas and the events! Email me or any of the other organizers and we'll either post your event, or you can become an organizer so you can manage your own events – as many or as few as you'd like. Just let us know and we'll make it so.

For a range of other vegan-related info, events and volunteering, see:

Jonathan Safran Foer's latest tour de force "Eating Animals" that compelled the likes of twenty-year vegetarian, Natalie Portman, to become a vegan activist. Safran's book compels us to realize that while the human species may have always been omnivorous to one degree or another, never before have we as a group so deliberately, with such cold and blind thoroughness, abandoned our reverence for animal rights and welfare. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/natalie-portman/jonathan-sa...http://www.eatinganimals.com/

SCCAA - Santa Clara County Activists for Animals is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to reducing and eliminating the suffering of animals and to raising community awareness of animal issues. http://www.activistsforanimals.org.

SaveABunny is a nonprofit, volunteer-oriented animal rescue organization based in Mill Valley, California.http://www.saveabunny.com.

For a delicious gourmet vegan meal every Monday night at 6:30 check out the Peninsula Macrobiotic Community Monday night dinners http://www.peninsulamacro.org.